PULLMAN, Wash. -- In a game very few thought would be close, the nation's number one team, Stanford defeated Washington State 72-61 at Friel Court Saturday. The game was played in front of 6,493 fans, the largest crowd to see a game in Pullman this season.

The 11-point margin of victory was the third closest call of the season for Stanford which improved to 19-0, 7-0 in the Pacific-10 and set a school record for best start to a season and most consecutive wins at any point in a season.

Only number two Duke (84-83) and preseason number one Arizona (85-76) have come closer than the Cougars to defeating the Cardinal.

Jason Collins led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds while brother Jarron added 18 points as well. Casey Jacobsen and Curtis Borchardt each chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.

Junior Mike Bush (Riverside, Calif) score a game-high 23 points to lead Washington State (7-10, 1-7 Pacific-10). Freshman Marcus Moore (Inglewood, Calif.) dished out six assists and tied his season best by committing only one turnover.

Stanford used a pair of 6-0 runs to put the game away in the second half. After the Cougars closed to within 38-33 a on a layup by junior J Locklier (Rock Hill, S.C.) with 17:32 remaining in the game, the Cardinal scored the next six points capped by a Ryan Mendez three-pointer to increase its lead to 34-23 with 16:04 to play.

Then, with the scored 55-46, Michael McDonald and Mendez connected on back-to-back three-pointers to provide the Cardinal with its biggest lead of the game at 61-46 with 6:32 remaining. WSU never got closer than 11 points the rest of the game.

"I'm proud of how we played," WSU head coach Paul Graham said. "Our young team is getting better and playing hard. Thursday and today we put together back-to-back good efforts. This was the best game we've played this season."

Stanford led 34-28 at intermission after a tightly contested first half. Bush scored the game's first points on a trey just over a minute into the game to give Washington State its only lead of the day.

The Cardinal's biggest lead of the half was five until a 14-5 run opened a 34-23 lead with 1:48 left in the first half. Jason Collins had six points and Jarron Collins and Jacobsen each had four during the spurt.

Washington State responded with a layup by junior Framcecio Little (Anderson, S.C.) and a three-point play by Bush to pull with a half dozen at the break.

"WSU played very well," Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery said. "On the perimeter, they got us off sink and we turned the ball over too much in the first half. We hadn't been challenged for the last three or four games, so we needed it."